Moving to Bucks - help!

[ellensmelons]

Hi,

posting on behalf of a friend whose husband has been relocated to Uxbridge. She's been looking at schools / areas to live etc. She has a 3yo and 5yo.

Anyone live around Chalfont St giles / Penn / Great Kingshill / Hughenden Valley who can give us an insight as to what it's like to live there??

Many thanks in advance!

Ellens

Bump

Well the first thing she needs to decide is how she feels about the grammar school system. If she doesn't like it, she shouldn't move to Bucks! But there are other areas within striking distance with good comprehensive schools e.g. Chorleywood.

All the areas mentioned are lovely btw!

Should also say I'm happy to give as detailed info as I can - what kind of things does she want to know?

Thanks very much - she's at my house at the mo so great timing!

Fave places at the mo are G Kingshill / Hughenden Valley. Are they Ok for pre-schools (ie enough of them), things to do with toddlers etc. Or are they quite sleepy /cut off / grannyvilles??

Right, I know nothing about pre-schooling in Gt Kingshill or Hughenden!! I know that Gt Kingshill primary is well regarded but I also know that recently, the catchments for secondary schools split the village in half so friends that had been at Gt Kingshill together ended up going to different secondaries because they lived at opposite ends of the village. However, I don't know whether that is still the case.

HS2 is worth bearing in mind if thinking about Bucks.

Try here for info about pre-schools

Here for info about catchments etc

In all seriousness, virtually all preschools and primaries round here are great - it's when people's kids hit secondary age that the difficulties really start so I would strongly recommend to your friend that she includes thoughts about those in her considerations.

I really like both Gt Kingshill and Hughenden but I don't know anyone who currently lives there, so can't be much more help I'm afraid. Penn and CSG I know a lot more about though if she still wants to know about them.

I live in Chesham but have also lived in Chlafont ST Peter and have friends all over the area so any questions fire away!

Would you agree that secondary more of a consideration than primary?

My two deliaghts are now at secondary school but have a few friends with little ones at primary school. And the montessori nursery in Chalfont ST Peter is brilliant!

Thanks again!

She's off to see some properties this weekend and has a fair few lined up. I personally think that they'll have another house move before the girls reach secondary age (6 years away) so I think she's be better off going for a place where it's fairly busy (ish) so she can build up a friendship base with the kids going to a local school. Secondary ed they can worry about later - and like you said catchments change and so do headteachers so it could all be a lot different.

I'll let her know about the montessouri - don't think she's considered that option.

Could I ask you some more after she's seen the houses this weekend? She is sooooo grateful for any inside knowledge... I think she's a bit nervous about all this.

Thanks!

We lived in Bucks for 11 years but moved back to Durham three years ago. I enjoyed it while I was there, there are some beautiful villages. Clost to London, Watford, Oxford or Milton Keynes for shopping.

Schools tend to be v good or v bad. Most places have some schools that are quite good, but not in Bucks. Tends to be either top of the pile or the bottom. I've ot two teen girls and we do not miss the 11+ system at all.

Of course

FWIW, Penn and Chalfont St Giles are quite similar in so much as they're big villages with separate infant and junior schools with 2 class intake per year. They are both busy villages with decent facilities and good bus links (again, not such an issue for her kids). Penn/Tylers Green probably has more of a rural feel because of the common in the middle of it. I know of two nurseries in Penn, both of which my friends were very happy with.

If I had my time again, I would settle in either of them over where I live now.

Good luck to your friend with her viewing!

Are you talking secondaries Durhamdurham? I'm not sure I agree that primaries are that polarised tbh.

The primary schools are not as polarised but I did find the schools were either v good or v bad. I had to appeal for both of my girls to get them in a good school. Our catchment one was failing and lots of friends seemed to be in the same situation. I had frinds who suddenly started attending church to get in to good schools or they rented a home near to a good school. This does seem to be a problem in Bucks.

My girls go to our local Community school now, it does not have results quite as high as their Grammar school in Bucks but it is so much beeter than any of the Secondary schools in there. I like to think it is a happy medium, they are encouraged and helped to reach their full potential but without the masses of pressure they felt at the Grammar.

Hi I run a relocation company in Bucks and cover all the areas your friend in looking in. If your friend would like any free advice ask her to get in touch.